Barkly Park user groups want council and committee to seek $1 million in funding for new female friendly facilities

Rutherglen Cats Football-Netball Club president Patrick Beattie said there had been a lack of transparency on the part of Indigo Shire Council when it came to funding and how it was used.

"It's been a very closed process," he said.

The Murray Felines, who also use the park as their home ground, are advocating for unisex change rooms that can be used by all groups.

"After the game, if they want to shower, they have to do so fully clothed, as there is only communal showers in the change rooms and no door or even a curtain on the two openings into the main change room," a statement on the club's Facebook page said.

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Late last year, Indigo Shire Council offered a renovation to the existing changerooms for a nominal budget of about $300,000.

The plans were deemed to be non-compliant with the AFL Guidelines and the Building Code of Australia. The renovation plans offered two toilets and showers, and was also non-compliant on disability facilities and access.

The AFL Preferred Facilities guidelines call for a minimum of three toilets and three cubicle showers for local facilities.

"With the number of registered females and our substandard facilities, we believe that we have a strong case for active consideration by council," the statement said.

"We feel that we deserve more respect than that shown to us to date."

There are currently 160 female participants that call Barkly Park their home ground.

Indigo Shire Council chief executive Trevor Ierino said he "full-heartedly agreed" with the views of the club.

"I've been out there myself and inspected the facilities," he said. "They're not very good, there's not doubt about that. The important things for us to do is to deal with all of the site and not just deal with one club with one of the issues.

"My understanding was there were some plans designed for the toilets, but there wasn't a whole site master plan," he said of the Regional Design Services master plan commissioned by the Rutherglen Football Netball Club.

There are four different master plans for four separate sites involved in the funding process.

Mr Ierino said council needed to consider the needs of the entire site at Barkly Park and other parks.

"With the growth of women's football, there's catching up to do," he said. "We certainly want to do something about it."

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